Lying Beside You

#LyingBesideYou #NetGalley
A FUN read.
Cyrus Haven's family was murdered and only he and his brother survived. Cyrus because he hid. Elias because he was the killer. Now Elias is being released from a secure psychiatric hospital and Cyrus, a forensic psychologist, must decide if he can forgive the man who destroyed his childhood. As he prepares for the homecoming, Cyrus is called to a crime scene in Nottingham. A man is dead and his daughter, Maya, is missing. Then a second woman is abducted. The only witness is Evie Cormac, a troubled teenager with a gift for knowing when people are lying. Both missing women have dark secrets that Cyrus must unravel to find them - and he and Evie know how the past can come back to haunt you
This author is very talented. Again it's a very twisty tale.
Thanks to NetGalley and Little Brown Books UK Sphere for giving me an advance copy.

The writing in this book is engaging and easy to follow with a nice flow, the story was gripping and the characters were well developed but at times I hated them - although I think that was the point. Twisty and unpredictable and kept me guessing. An overall enjoyable read.

This is the third book in the Cyrus Haven series by author Michael Robotham. I have read the previous two novels in the series and in my opinion this helps get straight into the novel and understand what is going on. It can be read as a standalone but may have readers wondering what is going on at times.

Cyrus Haven is a forensic psychologist with a dark history. His family were brutally murdered by his brother Elias twenty years ago but somehow he survived. Elias is now about to be release back into society and Cyrus must decide whether he can forgive his brother and welcome back to the family home.

Meanwhile Cyrus is summoned to a crime scene where a man is dead and his daughter, Maya, is missing. This crime is swiftly followed by another one when a second woman is abducted. But this time there is a witness, Evie Cormac, a troubled teenager who Cyrus is fully aware of who has a gift for knowing when people are lying. Evie lodges with Cyrus, taken in by him in an effort to help her when she was having one of her many troubled periods. Evie is trying to please Cyrus and decides to get a job working at a local Nottingham bar to earn her keep. It is while she is working at the bar that the second woman goes missing, the woman works as a nursed and has links to Maya Kirk, the other missing woman.

I really enjoyed this read, great characters, plenty of back stories and exciting plot. I like the love, hate relationship that the two main characters have and feel this really adds to the enjoyment of the story. My one little gripe is that in my opinion not enough is made of Evie’s gift and feel this could be more prominent in the storylines.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Little Brown Book Group for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this ARC.

I did enjoy this book and liked that the story was told through the two main characters Cyrus and Evie. I liked Cyrus, although I thought he was naive in some ways regarding Evie, and I didn’t like Evie’s character at all. She has a good and interesting background history and I liked her character more in previous books, just not in this one. The book began really well and I was drawn in straightaway. Cyrus is asked to help in a police investigation when a man is found murdered and his daughter is missing. When another woman goes missing and Evie was the last person to see her the story really begins to gain pace. I loved the separate story threads, particularly the ones featuring Elias and Mitchell. They really added depth to the story in my opinion. I think this is a very well written book, it has a good plot line and flowed well. I hadn’t a clue who the murderer was, or why and enjoyed finding out. I liked the twists in the plot and the last quarter of the book was a thrilling read which raced to a very unexpected ending. Overall, a good read which I enjoyed - it didn’t wow me though - and I would recommend this if you’re a fan of crime procedurals with a forensic psychologist’s viewpoint. I’d also suggest you read the series in correct order to have a better understanding of the two main characters and their pasts.

Cyrus and Evie are one of my favourite duo's, so I was thrilled to get my hands on an ARC of Lying Beside You, the 3rd book in the series. You can read this as a standalone, but I do think you'll miss a lot of the back story which is critical in understanding the dynamic between Cyrus and Evie. That being said, I felt like this book actually had the least amount of focus on Evie's past and her relationship with Cyrus, so you probably wouldn't know what you missed if you skip the first 2 books and it wouldn't have to bother you.

A man has been murdered and his daughter is now missing...Cyrus needs to determine if she's a suspect or a victim. He also needs to deal with the reality of his brother being released from a mental facility after 20yrs, for murdering their parents and sisters.

The plot for Lying Beside You was pretty well thought out. Michael writes page turners, so it's no surprise that I went to bed at 11pm and then promptly woke at 3am, so I could finish this book. I needed to have this mystery solved. It was action packed, fast paced, and I do enjoy the characters.

I couldn't figure out whodunnit, even thought Michael actually gives the readers a connection to the case pretty early on, but the main characters are not privy to this connection....so it was quite exciting reading and wondering when Cyrus would find out what we know and then obviously solve the crime for us.

Entertaining read, fantastic writing, great plot....I just wanted more of Evie to be utilised vs her involvement being incidental....so that's the only reason I'm docking 1 star.

I couldn't get enough of Good Girl, Bad Girl and When She Was Good.
So when I seen Michael Robotham new up coming release Lying Beside You I have to try and get it.

Cyrus Is Back!
This was a mind-blowing, heart throbbed, intense story. The plot was tight with fascinating characters. This to me was a fast paced novel.
Very clever storytelling as you start to learn more and more of the truth.
And edge of your seat thriller.
Robotham takes the reader with them on one hell of a ride.
Exhilarating and interesting beyond measure.
I could put my Kindle down. I didnt want to.

If you enjoyed the first two in this series, this is one you don't want to miss out on.

“I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”

Little, Brown Book & Sphere,
Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this eARC.

Thanks to Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Psychologist Cyrus is working with the police investigating the disappearance of a woman and the murder of her father. Meanwhile, he has Evie, a 21 year old girl with a difficult past, who can detect when people are lying living with him. On top of that, his older brother Elias, who has been in a psychiatric hospital for 20 years, after killing their parents and 2 sisters, is possibly going to be released.

This was another good one in this series. I like Cyrus and Evie. They both are flawed and have a lot of baggage which makes for an interesting backstory. I thought the mystery was also interesting. Overall, it was an enjoyable read and I look forward to continuing with this series.

Lying Beside You is the third installment in the series featuring Dr Cyrus Haven and Evie Ward. When I heard there was due to be another book released, I was excited to see what direction this one would take. The second book wrapped up a lot of questions from the first about Evie’s backstory (and is still my favorite entry in the series). This one is set a few years after and follows Cyrus and Evie as they become wrapped up in another mystery. I loved both Evie and Cyrus, it’s hard to pick a favorite. Both are believable, realistic and likeable characters. The authors portrayal of PTSD and trauma I felt were very realistic and evoked empathy and compassion for the characters. The mystery was convoluted (in a good way), enticing and keeps you interested. I pretty much read this entire book (as well as re-read the previous two again as I wanted to go into this one with my memory fresh) over the course of a weekend. What can I say, except that I’m hooked. Please write more. I’d even like to know more about Elias, who is a character who is growing on me. A well written, thrilling and suspense filled story. There is a reason Michael Robotham is considered a master of his craft. I can’t wait to see what comes next.

Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Michael Robotham is one of my favourite 'must read asap' authors, I've loved his standalones and the Joe O'Loughlin series. I couldn't wait to read this, the third in the Dr Cyrus Haven series...

...But not for the obvious reasons, I haven't quite gelled with this series so far and read every new book in the hope I will fall in love.

Told from the perspectives of psychologist Dr Cyrus Haven, and Evie, the mysterious survivor with a protected identity the characterisation is deep and brilliant. The dialogue between them sparkles, and even their introspective dark moments grab you and don't let go.

I felt the first two books were filling in the blanks with these mysterious characters, honestly I've never read a series that has put so much time and effort into building characters.

This level of detail inevitably slows down the plot, and while I love the character writing, I wish for a just a little more pace in the story.

This is definitely my favourite of the three books so far, there are plenty of moments of brilliance. I'm still not in love with this series, but will eagerly await book four.


Thanks to Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK

I often wondered why Michael Robotham finished the Joe O’Laughlin series and then started another one with a similar character, both psychologists with a flawed family life and wry sense of humour.
Having said that I have enjoyed the Cyrus Haven books, this being the third in the series, as I have enjoyed all the authors books. His writing is that good.
It would be beneficial to read the first two books in order, to get an idea of Cyrus and Evie and what brought them together.
There are several stories running through this book, foremost two women are missing and a man is dead. The only witness to the 2nd missing woman, who was abducted, is Evie, the troubled girl with the gift of being able to tell if you are lying. Both of the missing women have secrets that Cyrus must unravel so he can find them.
Elias, Cyrus’s older brother is being released from the psychiatric unit that has been his home for the past 20 years. He killed their parents and twin sisters, and now will be living with Cyrus. Evie doesn’t like Elias and doesn’t feel comfortable when he is around.
As things start to heat up in the investigation, each of them will have a part to play in finding the missing women.
It’s a satisfying read, and I thoroughly enjoyed it

#LyingBesideYou #NetGalley

I haven't read the previous books. But reading this made me want to read the others. A steady and gripping plot.

Twenty years ago, Cyrus Haven's family was murdered and only he and his brother survived. Cyrus because he hid. Elias because he was the killer.

Now Elias is being released from a secure psychiatric hospital and Cyrus, a forensic psychologist, must decide if he can forgive the man who destroyed his childhood.

As he prepares for the homecoming, Cyrus is called to a crime scene in Nottingham. A man is dead and his daughter, Maya, is missing. Then a second woman is abducted. The only witness is Evie Cormac, a troubled teenager with a gift for knowing when people are lying.

Both missing women have dark secrets that Cyrus must unravel to find them - and he and Evie know how the past can come back to haunt you . . .

‘Lying Beside You’ by Michael Robotham - who doesn’t love a book about psychopaths?! Two brothers, pitched in a battle against each other because one is good and one is very very bad. Excellent characters and a gripping plot that will keep you turning the pages looking for answers. Michael Robotham always does so well in his thrillers to keep the reader entertained and engrossed and this one is no different. Would highly recommend.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an arc in exchange for an unbiased review.

Twenty years ago, Cyrus Haven's family was murdered and only he and his brother survived. Cyrus because he hid. Elias because he was the killer.
Now Elias is being released from a secure psychiatric hospital and Cyrus, a forensic psychologist, must decide if he can forgive the man who destroyed his childhood. WOW, WOW, WOW, WOW WOW. Do not miss this book. It is sooo well written, completely gripping so make sure you set aside many hours so that you can greedily devour it in one swoop.

This the third in the Cyrus Haven/Evie Cormac books and having focussed mainly on Evie's story up until now this one deals more with Cyrus. There is a missing child at the heart of this book and the race against time to find her is portrayed by the fast pace of the story. It is exciting throughout and has a massive twist at the end. I love the dynamic between Cyrus and Evie. They both have a dry, caustic humour which can leave those around them baffled as to what their relationship is. Hopefully we will get to see more of them in the future.

Having read the two previous books in this series I was delighted to get an ARC of Lying Beside You and it certainly doesn’t disappoint. I love the way the author has a continuous story within a story and that over the 3 books each character is developing more

I thoroughly enjoyed this, as I have the entire series, and have no hesitation recommending it

With thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest review

LOVED, LOVED, LOVED. Sensational!! This is the third novel in the series and while I didn't think it was possible, they just keep getting better.

We are back with Cyrus Haven, who lost all of his family when he was young, murdered by his brother and we get a glimpse into that fateful day. Now it's time for his brother to be released from the psych ward, but can he really function in society again and can Cyrus ever forgive him?

Meanwhile, Cyrus is helping the police with a murder case and again we have Evie, who also becomes involved in the case. She is trying to fit into society but inevitably, she up to her usual tricks and you can't help but cheer her on.

It's hard to explain the exact joy that this author's novels bring but if you have not started this series yet, you really need to. His signature writing and suspense had my fly through this one in a matter of hours. Brilliant!!

Such a brilliant book with wonderfully strong and captivating characters, Superb storyline too and totally gripped all the way through. Really didn't want it to end.

A Searing Rollercoaster..
A searing rollercoaster ride in the third of the Cyrus Haven novels. Elias is due to be released from the secure psychiatric unit but can Cyrus ever forgive the man who ruined his childhood? Can he forget? Whilst preparing himself for the forthcoming onslaught, Cyrus is called to a tragic crime scene. With a pacy, often breathless narrative, pitch perfect characterisation and a non stop storyline this is a worthy addition to this superlative series. This can be read as a standalone although the backstory is well worth your time. Compulsive, immersive reading.

After having read the first two previous books in the series I was so thrilled to be given the arc of this one and omg I loved every single thing about it.
What I love about the series is that the continuing back story of Evie and Cyrus is just as interesting as the case that is under investigation and that for me is what makes the books so special and I felt that we got to know them both even better.
Told by Evie and Cyrus in alternating chapters I was glued to the kindle as the case became increasingly compulsive and the race to find the killer more intense. The added interest was also that of the release of Cyrus’s brother Elias as he is being allowed home visits from the psychiatric hospital where he has been for many years and of course this brings with it many problems.
I loved this book I could go on and on about just how brilliant it is I can’t fault anything about it and so many many thanks to Michael Robotham for a truly wonderful read and please hurry up and write the next I miss all the characters already!
So a 5 star book to savour and if you haven’t read the first two please do yourselves a favour and don’t miss those either they are all amazing.
My thanks also to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK, Sphere for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

The third in the Cyrus Haven series and I thought easily the best so far. While there is still a lot about the continuing characters of Evie and Cyrus himself, this book focuses much on the story around Cyrus’s older brother who has been in a secure psychiatric prison for almost 20 years for the brutal murder of his family and has started the process of being released for short periods of time into society. There is also the mystery surrounding the attacks and disappearance of 3 women. There is more about Evie herself too who I find one of the most intriguing continuing characters in all the crime novels I have read. Excellent read.

Cyrus Haven #3
4+ stars

I have eagerly awaited the return to the town of my birth (Nottingham) and the two fantastic characters in Cyrus Haven and Evie Cormac. The novel starts powerfully as Cyrus reflects on his brother Elias' killing of their family as Rampton Secure Hospital reviews the possibility of his release. Evie is trying to make Cyrus happy by pretending to do something with her life via exams and a part time job. I just love her dark, dry humour (her views on Othello are laugh out loud and probably bang on the money!) and her interactions with Cyrus. Intertwined with the Elias story is a case Cyrus is called to by DSU Lenny Pavel, following the gruesome murder of 67 year old Rohan Kirk and his missing daughter Maya.

Whilst this may not be as heart in the mouth dramatic as Book One and Two, it's none the less riveting reading and perfectly paced. I feel as if the Elias backstory does need addressing as it has hung over the other two books and this is an absolutely fascinating and enlightening part of the story. The relationship between Evie and Cyrus is complex, the dialogue between them is so good and each understands the other probably better than any other human being. It's so intriguing pondering if and how Elias will alter dynamics between them.

The case of missing Maya is also one that goes through multiple layers and has several twists and turns as the plot heads down blind alleys, then raises your suspicion antenna which twitches in several directions but as ever the author has surprises in store. At times it's quite emotional, you feel a gut punch at the unfairness and injustice that is delivered. The pace builds and the last part is a hold your breath, tension fuelled, suspenseful and dramatic confrontation. The setting for this is brilliant as it perfectly fits and matches what unfolds and adds to the intensity. It is riveting reading.

I'm sure I'm not alone in saying that I can't wait for Number 4 and to find out what's next for this incredible pair.

PS. Although this can be read as a standalone, I would advise reading 1 and 2 for a fuller experience.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Little Brown Book Group for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

The next instalment with Cyrus Haven, a forensic psychologist and Evie McCormack, his lodger with a troubled past. It was be beneficial to have read the first two books to understand the past of these two characters and the bond they have. Cyrus is brought into to help when Maya goes missing for her home where her father is found murdered. Then Mayas body turns up and now the plot thickens when there is a deeper meaning behind this attack and a similar one from 6 years earlier. Meanwhile, Cyrus has to deal with the thought of his schizophrenic brother, who murdered their parents and twins sisters, being realised from the psychiatric hospital when he has been held for the last 20 years.
Another masterpiece from Michael Robotham, already looking forward to the next instalment!

I absolutely loved this! I adore Michael Robotham’s writing and these characters are becoming new firm favourites. His writing flows flawlessly and the snappy chapters with the duel perspectives work perfectly. I cannot wait to see what happens next as I feel what happened in this could lead perfectly into the next book!

As a Michael Robotham fan I looked forward to this novel, the latest installment in the Cyrus Haven series and it did not disappoint. Cyrus is facing the fact that his brother is being released from the institution he has been in for the last 20 years after killing all of their family and will be coming to stay with him. His ward Evie has found a job at a bar and a patron goes missing after leaving it and he has hired a handyman that proclaims his innocence of the crime he was incarcerated for, and is having trouble re-emerging into society. All of these separate activities combine to create an exciting, twisting story and has left plenty of scope for future books. Recommended.

I'm always a little fearful when reading the sequel to not one but two brilliant books, worried that the characters and writing standards may not live up to the earlier books. I needn't have worried, Michael Robotham has kept true to Cyrus and Evie and delivered another cracking story covering the abduction and murder of a young woman. The police believe they have the killer, but Cyrus with help from Evie has spotted a link the detective in charge refused to see. Following his instincts could lose him his job working with the force, as well as put lives at risk.

This is the third book in the Cyrus haven series Elias is being released from a secure psychiatric hospital and Cyrus haven who is a forensic psychologist must decide if he can forgive Elias for murdering their family due to schizophrenia twenty years ago but somehow Cyrus survived
Cyrus is also working with the police on a case when a man is murdered and his daughter maya is missing when another woman goes missing and Evie was the last person to see her totally gripping read couldn’t put it down
Thank you NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group Uk

Free courtesy of Netgalley

OMG if you live thrillers and puzzles this is the book for you. I haven't read any of Michael's books before but I certainly will be looking for more. With so much going on I had no idea who the suspect was or why. I did start to put some pieces together. It made the book interesting to read and I was so invested in it.

Cyrus is a criminal psychologist who works for Nottingham police, he is called in when a man is murdered in his own home and his daughter is missing. She later turns up dead and a full investigation is put in place. Cyrus also has personal issues from his past that he has to deal with.

Evie is Cyrus's ward/lodger, she is 21 and still goes to school with a part time job in a bar. She is very damaged and was brought up in a children's home ( as I didn't realise this was a sequel book, I suppose you might read her story in a previous book). She has the ability to know when people are lying.

The story is told from these two characters points of view. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes murder mysteries.

The story premise was so interesting. The book gripped me from page 1. It straight away got to the point and got to the plot.

The next instalment in the Cyrus/Evie story didn’t disappoint. It really picked up in the second half, lots of twists and turns to keep the pages turning.

Caveat on this review. This is the first book I have read by this author and had no idea before or while I was reading it that it was part of a series. The fact that I enjoyed this in its own right and didn't feel as if I was missing out on anything or that there were excessive info dumps on what had happened in previous novels is a testament to the writing. (If anything I quite liked the fact that certain elements were left vague and the reader was left to fill in the gaps for certain characters' motivations/ behaviours/ experiences and felt it stood out from the occasional 'over-detail' of some novels. So, not knowing what books one and two might have covered I am taking this on its' own merits.
The book alternates between view points of Cyrus Haven - forensic psychologist and Evie Cormac, a young woman who lives with him ('ward/ lodger/ companion/ - the terms used are fluid, and I'm assuming how this came to be are gone into detail in earlier books - for me it was enough to know what was explained in this book to get the relationship).
While Cyrus' role and what he actually does for the police are somewhat played down in this story - in part because it centres around his brother being released from a mental institution and is therefore perhaps a little more personal than the previous stories), he does have access to anything and everything in the policing world and finds himself involved with murder and missing person cases which may be connected.
The storytelling is quick paced and moves along at a rapid speed. I read the book in twenty four hours, which is normally a pretty good sign and would certainly look out for more books by the same author, and will no doubt look back to the previous books in the series.


Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this ARC.

I haven’t read the first two novels in this series but it didn’t matter. A man is killed and his daughter missing. Cyrus is part of the tam investigating this, He is also attending a hearing to see if his mentally ill brother is allowed to be released from a secure institute and he is trying to keep his lodger / ex foster child from getting into too much trouble, The case becomes much bigger and involves three women and an old conviction. I really enjoyed this and changed my plans in order to finish it. Thanks to a Netgalley for an ARC.

Elias is on parole and coming back to live with his younger brother having murdered their parents and sisters in a schizophrenic attack. Cyrus is a forensic psychotherapist who is prone to taking in troubled souls such as Evie, an orphaned Albanian girl who has a mind of her own and then Mitch, claiming to have been wrongly imprisoned for raping a young nurse in his apartment block several years ago. Evie can tell when someone is lying! There is a murdered father of another young nurse and Cyrus is on the case hindered by an arrogant Chief Inspector and the well intended but unsuccessful aid of Evie! Evie is a good soul, she was definitely my favourite character and the relationship between her and Cyrus is beautifully drawn! A slow burn but once the series of events begin to fit the puzzle, there’s no stopping the action and I am hoping there will be a sequel - I liked the dynamics between the characters, the humour and the pathos! More please!

This is the third book of the Cyrus Haven and the first time I am reading the series. And I have to say, I think I am going to be addictedto this series--it was really gripping and good!

In this book, we are going to get a small insight of Cyrus life when he almost experienced a near death incident--his older brother Elvis murdered their parents and their twin sisters brutally years ago and was sent to a mental asylum. Now years later, Elvis was found sane to be released into the environment and was taken under Cyrus's care. Meanwhile, an elderly man was brutally killed and his daughter Maya Kirk goes missing. The police are clueless if Maya ran away or was being held hostage somewhere. Evie, a troubled teenager starts working in a bar and then she sees a woman named Daniela getting into a car and was never seen again. Daniela also has some ties with Maya. No one believes in Evie except Cyrus and...maybe the killer.

The story is told from Cyrus and Evie's point of view, with Evie trying to make Cyrus meet someone and Cyrus was the only person that Evie seemed to trust. The book itself was fast paced, with twists and turns that will make you feel like you are on the edge of the seat. I was literally hooked into the book from start to finish and the author's writing was really great! What got me more interested is towards the end of the book, when the climax starts to build with secrets of the women who were being abducted revealed. Overall, it was as if I was watching some action movie and that the ending was whopping mind blowing!

Overall, if you like a fast paced thriller and a page turner thriller, this book is one for you. Worth complete five stars!

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

‘Lying beside you’ is the third book in bestselling author Michael Robotham’s new Cyrus Haven series. With a gripping and suspenseful plot, interesting characters with a very unusual background, and an action-packed ending, Robotham delivers another page-turner.

Forensic psychologist Cyrus Haven who works for the Nottingham police investigates the murder of a man and the disappearance of his daughter.
Cyrus’ friend Evie Cormac, who lives with him, has a troubled past but tries to help pay the bills by taking a job at a local bar. Soon, a second woman goes missing, and the witness is none other than Evie, dragging Evie into the case and the efforts to find the missing women.

Meanwhile, Cyrus’ schizophrenic brother Elias who killed their parents and twin sisters when he was a teenager, is due to be released from a psychiatric facility after 20 years and is coming to stay with Cyrus and Evie.

This is the first book in the series that I have read. Although I did not feel that I had missed out on crucial information about Cyrus and Evie, several other readers believe the characters are best understood when reading the books in the correct order.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book and look forward to reading the next instalment in the Cyrus Haven series.

Thanks to NetGalley, Little, Brown Book Group UK, Sphere and Michael Robotham for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is everything one could want in a novel. A brilliant plot, amazing characters and enough tension to keep you up all night. Totally sublime.

This is the first book I've read in the Cyrun Haven Series and I'm hooked! I read before starting that it's better to read this series in order to get a better jist of the story behind the characters - I can see why.. however I felt it was quite easy to read as a standalone and understand who is who and how each character came to light.

But... I do really want to read 1 and 2 and anymore that comes after this one!!

I really liked the characters and all the back story - that really helped! The plotline was super exciting and I love the whole whodunnit thing!! Also that love hate relationship between Cyrus and Evie really adds to the story. I'm eager to read about Evie's story too. This book really left me intrigued!!

Definitely a slow burner so stick with it! This book becomes compulsive. I couldn’t put it down & finished it sobbing my heart out!

Really enjoyed this story and the different threads it offered over a typical crime/mystery novel. Definitely worth a read.

This is my first time reading a Cyrus Haven story and I must say I am impressed. Cyrus is a forensic psychologist searching for the whereabouts of maya kirk, a young nurse. Maya’s father was brutally murdered at their home, but there is no sign of maya. When another girl goes missing who has links to maya, the race is on to find the girls before it’s too late.
Considering this is the third instalment in the series, I was happy to find the story also can be read as a stand alone. It was easy to sum up the majority of characters and get an understanding of why they act how they do.
I enjoyed the story line, and also the background info on Cyrus which I assume wasn’t given in the previous books.
Definitely a great crime thriller!

A really good sequel which can stand alone robustly. As per the first one, this thriller is impeccably written and grips you from the very start. Cyrus Haven is a fascinating protagonist and Evie’s struggles to adjust are deeply endearing. A very well rounded thriller by a talented author.

Another outing for Cyrus Haven, forensic psychologist! How thrilled I was to be given the opportunity to read Lying Beside You. I just couldn’t put this book down as I was desperate to follow the storyline which again features the redoubtable Evie who we learn has the amazing ability to spot a lie. We also learn Cyrus’ devastating back story which reveals that his brother Elias is in Rampton, high security psychiatric hospital, incarcerated for killing their parents and twin sisters. Cyrus has to forgive him and Evie to learn to live with him. It’s a harrowing story involving revenge murders, corruption and a heart-stopping race to find abducted women. I love Michael Robotham’s writing style and hope there will be a fourth appearance for Cyrus and Evie. Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown for the eARC.

i really enjoy this series, and the third installment doesnt disappoint. despite the questionable police procedure/ psychological practice decisions that abound the two lead characters - forensic psychologist Cyrus and his unofficial, disturbed ward Evie - are intriguing and nuanced. this book introduces more supporting regulars who are equally compelling and i will keep coming back although i do tend to guess the twists, and the policing stretches credibility at times

What an amazing book, by a brilliant author. Keeps you wanting more page after page. Can’t wait for the next one.

Many thanks to Net Galley and Little Brown Book Group UK for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review
Wow!!! What a page turner. Michael Robotham’s readers will not be disappointed with the 3rd book in his Cyrus Haven series.
A sensational, intense read! Several stories within the book, two woman are missing and a man is dead. Both the missing woman have secrets which Cyrus will need to unravel if he is to find them. Evie, who has the gift to tell if someone is lying or not, was a witness when the second young woman went missing and she becomes involved in the case. (
I love the relationship between Cyrus and Evie, their dry wit and humour. Evie lives with Cyrus, she is a lodger and she has a troubled past, as does Cyrus, and now Cyrus’s brother Elias has been released from the psychiatric hospital, for home visits, where he has been a patient for 20 years,and this brings more problems to Cyrus’s home. Evie is uncomfortable around Elias and does not like or trust him . This is a fast paced read which I read in one sitting. My top book so far in 2022!!

I love this series and Cyrus Evie and Elias are back. This is third book in the Cyrus Haven series and what a read. Cyrus is a forensic psychologist with a very dark past. Elias his brother is the reason for his dark history and Evie a broken, complex and sarcastic as hell young women who has a special gift is his lodger and is trying to put her life back together. What has a brutal cold case got to do with a series of missing girls???. I devoured this book in one sitting and finally turned the last page at 2.am. I had to know the truth and boy what a revelation which shocked me . These books are all fantastic five star reads and I am sure you will want to go back to where it all began. Highly recommended.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I hadn’t read the first two of the books in this series, but I still thoroughly enjoyed it. Twenty years after the death of his family at the hands of his brother, Cyrus is called in as the forensic psychologist to a new case of a murdered man, whose daughter has gone missing. With dark secrets at play and a series of vicious attacks on young women, Cyrus and his young protege Evie must work out what is going on. This is an accomplished and intricate novel.

I enjoyed this book. It was engaging and an easy read. It had me gripped and the characters were well written. Kept me guessing to the end. A good read.

When I saw that this story was told by two narrators my heart sank. I find the he said/she said distracting, but this story needs it. Cyrus and Evie have very different points of view and it allows a better vision of a complex situation with complex people in it.

Loved it.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher I read a free advance review copy of the book. This review is voluntary, honest and my own opinion.

I loved this book and just wish I’d known it was part of a series, as reading the previous books would have helped me to understand more about Cyrus and Evie’s relationship, and particularly Evie’s traumatic background. I need to know why her identity is protected, and will read the previous books to try and find out why. This was an extremely well written story with a gripping plot. I thoroughly enjoyed it and can’t wait for the next in the series. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the advanced copy in return for an honest review of this brilliant thriller.

There is a lot going on here with a wide range of interesting characters and the author had me hooked from the outset. There did seem to be an American type style to the writing and I had to keep reminding myself that it was set in Nottingham, especially when the police officer put out a BOLO! A brilliant psychological thriller that I didn't want to come to the end of because I cared so much about Cyrus, Evie and even Elias , Mitch and Lillah.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a great read.

Lying Beside you is a fast paced thriller and one with a plot that is filled with mystery and suspense.

The chapters in the book are short and have you wanting to read on.

When I was given a chance to review this by NetGalley I was not aware that this was actually the 3rd book in a series but nonetheless it can be read as a stand alone. That being said it has made me want to read the series in order to get an understanding of the main characters and their back story.

I enjoyed this book, which has a gripping plot but I nearly did not continue after the first page because it started with extreme and upsetting violence. This was central to the plot but I would have preferred a few pages to warm up and get into the book before being confronted with such an extreme scenario. It prejudiced me against the story for the first few chapters, although I was eventually won over.
I enjoyed the twists and the suspense. The action seemed very real, and dealt with the difficult topic of mental health..
There are two narrators, Cyrus and Evie. Evie is an intriguing character. I would have liked to have known more about her background, whether she was Roma, how she had come to the UK from Albania and where her ability to distinguish when people are lying came from - an inherited gift, or perhaps acquired through her (unexplained) harsh childhood?
The final denouement was exciting and plausible. I was sorry when the story ended and would have liked to have stayed with the main characters, who were warm, human and fallible.

A writer who expertly draws characters from every spectrum of society, often the socially inadequate or misfits all damaged in some way by their past . Throw into the mix a scattering of incidents that are equally as diverse and seemingly unconnected to anything or anyone. Gradually, in painstaking detail and not without unforeseen complications, join the pieces together and the reader is eyewitness to the emergence of a true gem of a story. Bizarre three dimensional characters raising as many questions as answers, all frustrating the reader who learns to know and understand their individual idiosyncrasies. The writer puts together a hugely entertaining premise that somehow involves a convoluted mystery that may be a murder, could be an abduction, possibly linked to an event from the past. Every page a delight, often heartbreaking, occasionally funny always compulsive reading as the facts are assembled and justice served. A fantastic conclusion that ties up the loose ends of the complex storyline if not the solution to the happiness of these much loved characters .

Cyrus is a better person than most, welcoming (or maybe allowing would be a better term!) his brother back into his life given what Cyrus did to his family.
The story flows well between the preparations for Elias's release and the continued job of investigating a murder and a missing person and the emotions and tribulations involved in both for Cyrus.
there are plenty of twists and red herrings that make you assume you know the truth when you could not be further from it!

The first thing I noticed (and loved) about this book was the attention to detail. It awakened more emotion in me as a reader.

This was an interesting and thrilling book exploring the backstory of the protagonist, Cyrus Haven. It was fast-paced, and we dived right into the story from the very beginning.

I loved the characters — even Cyrus’s brother. And the development of even the characters that only played a small part was spot on.

Overall, this was a worthy read, and I’d be interested in reading more by the author. Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and author, for a chance to read and review this book.

Cyrus Haven's family were murdered twenty years ago,only two people survived Cyrus because he hid and his brother Elias because he was the murderer.Can Cyrus who is now a psychologist forgive his brother who is due for release from a secure psychiatric hospital.
Cyrus is called to a crime scene where a father is dead and his daughter missing and when another woman is abducted there is only one witness Evie Comac a girl who is troubled but has the ability to tell when people are lying.

Dark secrets must be faced and decisions made.
I love the way the relationship between Cyrus and Evie is growing.
A very good storyline that kept me engaged throughout.
Higher recommended.
Thanks to Netgalley and Little Brown Book Group for the ARC.

A gripping, dark, tense and twisty story with flawed characters that make for addictive reading. Really enjoyed this book! 5 stars

Loved this. I am such a fan of the series and this one did not disappoint one bit. Highly recommend if you are looking for a enthralling mystery that will keep you turning the pages

I love this book. I love the style of writing, the characters, the storyline. I want to read it all again, right now. The very first sentence pulls the reader in with the efficiency of a fish hook. Elias and Cyrus are brothers, but a shattering event over twenty years ago left a massive chasm between them. Cyrus has made his own life; exceptional intelligence has led him to a career as a psychologist working with the police. Along the way, he has found Evie, a housemate who has lost her family and been through the care system, a traumatic route to say the least. She is full of self doubt and has an extraordinary ability to spot lies. When Cyrus is called to assist with a murder case, it is as though a tap has been turned and suddenly everything comes rushing out and mixes together. A brilliant piece of work with some fixes required for the Kindle version, but I could forgive this book anything.

Wow this book hits you like a ton of bricks from the 1st few pages.

Twenty years ago, Cyrus Haven's family was murdered by his brother. Cyrus only survived because he hid. Elias claimed it was his schizophrenia and he was placed in secure psychiatric hospital. 

Now Elias is being released and he will be living with Cyrus, who is now a forensic psychologist. Can Cyrus ever forgive Elias? 

Whilst Cyrus is preparing for Elias to come back into his life he is called to a crime scene in Nottingham. A man is dead and his daughter is missing. Then a second woman is abducted and the last person to see her is Evie, who lives with Cyrus, and she has a gift for knowing if a person is lying or not.

Both woman have dark pasts and as Cyrus and Evie know sometimes the past can come back and haunt you.

I honestly thought I’d guessed the ending but nope I got it completely wrong. Twists aplenty and I loved it. What a brilliant well written thriller that had me gripped throughout.

One of my favourite authors. I enjoyed his Joe O'Loughlin series. This is the third book to feature Cyrus Haven who is a forensic psychologist living in the Nottingham area. Living with him as a friend is Evie a broken but determined young woman, who has a gift that she can tell if someone is lieing to her.
Cyrus's friend detective superintendent Lenny Parvel contacts him to say a young woman has been abducted and her father brutally killed. However it's not Lenny's case, it's detective chief inspector Gary Hoyle who Cyrus will work with. He is very unlike Lenny and comes across as an arogant know all.
Cyrus has another major problem, in that his elder brother Elias is trying to get his release from Rampton secure prison. Twenty years ago Elias murdered their family, father, mother and the young twin girls. Cyrus probably only survived because he was home late and hid in the garden shed, where Lenny then a police constable found him. Elias is nearly forty years of age now and he is controlled by medication.
Evie does not want Elias to come and live with Cyrus and her. She wants to get a job and some sort of life.
Another very good novel from this excellent australian author. It keeps you reading to find out what happens. Very highly recommended. I look forward to more from this author.

This is the latest in the Cyrus Haven series with Evie Cormack. Although it can be read as a standalone novel, it definitely helps understand Evie if you can read the previous novel first.
In my opinion, this is the best in the series yet. There are 2 parallel story lines which unfold- one about the murder of a local woman and her father, the second about Cyrus' older brother Elias who is at Rampton, a secure mental hospital. The plot cleverly alternates between the 2 parts of Cyrus and Evie's lives as they become more and more sinister and disturbing. This book is a masterclass in understated tension and terror. Utterly compelling reading, you won't sleep til you've finished it! 5 stars from me!

I have not read the previous books in this series but this is a good standalone ,though it makes me want to catch up on the other two books to understand the relationship between Cyrus and Evie .This book is gripping and with a great plot .Cyrus is a Forensic Psychologist and Evie is his Lodger with a difficult past which I guess you need to read the previous books if you want to find out more .A man has been murdered and his daughter missing and Cyrus is on the case .I enjoyed this book very much and look forward to reading more in the series .Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC.

Well, Michael Robotham does it again! This story continues the tale of the talented psychologist we were introduced to in his previous book. This time he is handling both the trauma of his terrifying past and a professional challenge.

Amazing as always. This can be read standalone or in the series. I love the characters and as always it's gripping but always funny. with his dark humour. Loved it xx

The third book in a series featuring Cyrus Haven, a forensic psychologist. Twenty years before the novel starts, Cyrus's family (his parents and twin sisters) were murdered - by Cyrus's older brother, Elias, who ended up in a secure psychiatric hospital.

Now Elias is being released and will move back to live with his brother and his brother's lodger, Evie, a troubled teenager with a difficult past. .

In the meantime, Cyrus is called to a crime scene in Nottingham. A man is dead and his daughter, Maya, is missing. Then another woman is abducted. and the only witness is Evie. Both missing women have dark secrets that Cyrus must unravel to find them.

The third book in a series, this can be read as a standalone. It's an absolute page-turner and, having not read the previous books, I do now plan to. This is deftly plotted with interesting characters - well worth reading.

A diverting crime read, I love how this author writes. Having not read no 1 and 2 I now want to go and read these, I could understand the story as a stand alone and it was still a great read but think the others books would have given it better context. An amazing fast pace intelligent thriller I would highly recommend

Another book from Michael Robothan that didn’t disappointed me. A well crafted plot with interesting and engaging characters, and twists that I didn’t see coming. I totally recommend this book.

This is the third book in the Cyrus Haven series but my first read and read happily as a stand alone thriller. The story is told first hand from both Cyrus’s and Evie’s POV rapidly building the pace and tension. Both Cyrus and Evie are great characters. Brilliantly written this book soon had me hooked, reading late into the night. The main storyline is masterfully interwoven with an old case some 8 years earlier.

Briefly, Cyrus is a Forensic Psychologist and the story opens with him attending a parole hearing for his brother Elias. Elias murdered their parents and sisters, as a teenager, 20 years before. He is to be released to Cyrus’s charge on day release. Cyrus lives in his parents house and has 21 year old Evie Cormac staying with him as a lodger. Evie had a very disturbing upbringing and has a gift of telling when people are lying. A man is found murdered and his daughter is missing. Cyrus is brought in on the case, even though the police have a suspect, however, neither Cyrus and Evie believe he is the killer.

An intricate plot that is action packed and full of twists and turns and the killer reveal was a complete surprise to me. Just when I thought I had it all figured out! A very enjoyable read ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Michael Robotham for a copy in exchange for honest review.

I will start of by saying I have not read any of the previous books from this series, so I did not know what to expect but I was really drawn to the idea behind it. Luckily, I was not disappointed at all, I feel like it had all the right things a thriller should have and I loved all of it.

Each character was developed and I really felt like I knew all of them which made the book even more exciting as I kept wanting to know what will happen to them even more.

Overall, really enjoyed the book and will for sure be reading the rest from the series.

The latest instalment of the Cyrus Haven/Evie Cormac story is an excellent addition to the series . The story follows the investigation and subsequent murder of a young woman and develops into a much broader scenario.
While helping the police Cyrus is also coming to terms with the release of his brother Elias from Rampton and the difficulties it causes Evie. The plot blends the disparate strands into a great ending.I am never disappointed in any book byMichael Robotham and this is no exception. One of the best British crime authors working today.

Elias Haven murdered his parents and his twin sisters two days after his nineteenth birthday. Voices told him to do it. Only two people survived the carnage - Elias, who was sent to Rampton, and his thirteen-year-old brother, Cyrus, who hid in a shed until the police found him. Twenty years later, Cyrus is a forensic psychologist and he's been told that his brother is being released. Can Cyrus forgive the sinner whilst having to live on a daily basis with the results of the crime? Can he bear to have Elias living in the same house? How will his lodger, twenty-one-year-old Evie Cormac, cope?

Cyrus still has his job to cope with and he's called to a crime scene in Nottingham. A man is dead and his daughter, Maya, is missing. Before long another woman is abducted and the only witness is Evie who has a troubled background and a gift for knowing when people are lying to her. As she admits herself, that's just about all the time. People do it - it's just that she has a hard time letting things go.

Both missing women have dark secrets, and Cyrus will have to unravel their pasts if he's to understand the case. Both he and Evie know what it's like to have secrets to hide: as a child, Cyrus was Befriended. Bullied. Cosseted. Counselled. He was a hard child to love. Perhaps that's what he recognised in Evie. Detective Superintendent Lenny Parvel recognises the value he brings to her cases but the officer in charge of this case, DCI Gary Hoyle, isn't worried about voicing his reservations. He's also convinced that he's identified the killer: it's the man who sexually assaulted one of the abducted women six years ago and who has just been released from prison.

I loved this book. I was pulled in before I got to the bottom of the first page and when I got to the last I was trying to turn it over to see if there was anything more to read. I often get annoyed when characters' backstories are given in detail but that didn't happen in Lying Beside You. I wanted to know more about Cyrus and Evie. They're so well-observed that they were with me even when I wasn't reading and I found I was developing plans for their futures. They had become real with a life outside the novel.

The plot is superb. The pacing is perfect as layer upon layer of intrigue is added and the story twists every which way. At times the tension is almost unbearable and I finished the book in just two sittings. There was no way that I was prepared to go any longer without knowing the name of the killer. Did I guess whodunnit? No. Was I satisfied by how it worked out? Absolutely.

I'd like to thank the publishers for letting Bookbag have a review copy. This is actually the third book in Robotham's Cyrus Haven series. I wasn't aware of this before I started reading and - as you can see - it didn't affect my enjoyment of the book. I will definitely be going back to get the first two books in the series.

I have not read anything by Michael Robotham before and this book is part of a series however it was easy enough to read as a standalone and was easy to follow.

Enjoyable I will defiantely be going back to the start to read the rest of the series.

I can always count on Michael Robotham to give me a five star read and this particular series is five all the way! I am sure you could read this book as a stand alone but if you read the two previous books first it is just so much better!

Lying Beside You is written with alternate chapters for the points of view of the two main characters, Cyrus Haven and Evie Cormac. Each of them is as interesting and significant to the story as the other, so this works really well and keeps the suspense level high throughout the book. Sometimes it is hard not to get cross with Evie who struggles with a lot of personal demons, but Cyrus always manages to be patient and forgiving, so I was too.

The story is exciting and intriguing with good cops and bad ones, murders and abductions and plenty of those red herrings to lead the reader astray. Cyrus is in the middle of the investigations and at the same time coping with the release of his brother from a long term stay in a psychiatric hospital. Of course there is a satisfying conclusion and for me at least a surprise guilty party.

I hope the author gives us more Cyrus and Evie in the future (and Lenny and Poppy again too).

A great read! This book keeps the reader engaged from the start and by the end it is a real page turner.
The characters are well drawn and the pace is good with twists and turns..
It is the latest in a series about Cyrus Haven but it also reads well as a standalone.

This is the first book I have read by this talented author and I wonder what took me so long to discover him. Dr Cyrus Haven, a forensic psychologist is the survivor of a terrible family tragedy in which his brother murdered his parents and twin sisters. A young woman goes missing locally and Cyrus is requested by the police to try and profile her perpetrator. Meanwhile his brother has a parole hearing that could see him released from Rampton top security hospital. Being torn in several directions including looking out for Evie, a troubled girl who lives in his home, sees Cyrus stretching himself in a race against time to get answers. Fast paced with more than one storyline that holds the reader’s interest throughout, with a well conceived main story that instills fear and tension and with a few twists along the way, it is definitely one to be read. The main characters are truly flawed but likeable. In the case of Cyrus he seems to suffer from survivors guilt and wants to help others who have also suffered major trauma in their lives. Although this book is part of a series, it stands alone very well but I now very much want to go back to the beginning and read the others. I’m also assuming there will be more in the future and I for one will be looking out for them. Thoroughly recommended.

I don't know how Micheal Robotham has escaped my book radar until now! This was my first book of his and I LOVED it: the plot and storyline are pure genius, the characters are great and real and the writing style is sublime!
Did I say i loved it? ;-) He's amongst my favourite writers already.
This is number 3 of a series, I didn't realise it when I requested it, but it can be read as a stand alone without missing anything, only take into consideration that you'll want to go buy the previous instalments as soon as you finish this one, just like I did.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A superb thriller, well plotted with plenty of twist and turns. Loved the characters and the author keeps you guessing till the end.
I received this book from Little Brown Books via Netgalley for a review.

I loved reading this book even though I haven't read the previous two books from this series, but now I will definitely do that. I loved the plot, some of the characters too and I really liked how the possible criminal was discovered later on, almost at the same time as with the main characters.

This was a really interesting intriguing crime thriller that does not disappoint.
It is the third book in the series but you can definitely read it as a stand alone & it was a great page turner for me.
Cyrus Haven is a forensic psychologist who suffered a traumatic experience of his family being murdered twenty years ago.
Only him & his brother Elias survived the murder of his parents & sisters.
That killer is in a secure psychiatric hospital but is due for release & the name of that killer is Elias Cyrus’s brother.
He asks himself if he can truly forgive his brother as he prepares for him to live with him.
In the meantime Cyrus gets called out to the crime scene of a murdered man & his missing daughter..
The only eye witness is a young girl by the name of Evie Cormac.
The investigation takes on a whole new level as more things start come to light.
Brilliantly written this superb plot will keep you in suspense & hold you to the end.
Absolutely loved it & will definitely check out the first two in the series as would love to read them too.

What can I say about this story. All the books written by this author are fab and I always enjoy them and also look forward to the next one. This book is set in Nottingham. Cryus Haven is quite a traumatised person due to his older brother killing his parents and sisters after hearing voices which told him what to do. He was eventually diagnosed with schizophrenia and was sent to Rampton (a secure psychiatric hospital) where he has been for 20 years. The powers that be have decided that Elias is now safe to return to the community as he has been a model patient through some of the time in Rampton and as long as he stays on his medication all should be well. Cyrus is totally unsure about this turn of events but has opted to have Elias stay with him so long as others agree to check his progress also. Elias is allowed to leave Rampton in short bursts to see him he gets on and eventually he is released. Evie joins the story. She is an emotional girl and finds life very difficult. She has a labrador, Poppy, which she adores and is her closest friend. Evie stays with Cyrus, although they are not in a relationship, where she feels completely safe until Elias moves in with them. The story progresses. Cyrus is eventually involved in a police matter of murder and abduction. His life is difficult. He is trying to keep Evie safe, help with a murder investigation as a Forensic psychologist and worrying and trying to help and deal with this brother. One thing in his favour seems to be that he has infinite patience for the dramas around him. He is called to a murder scene of a girl called Maya who is found part submerged in a stream and his father was also found with his head badly damaged which caused his death. After Maya was found another body who has some links with Maya is found. Evie is forever trying to appease Cyrus and she seems to have a gift of knowing when people are not telling the truth which can help in situations. As the story continues a third woman, Danielle Linares goes missing that that is when Cyrus realises that they have not been following the correct path in their investigation and changes tack. I really enjoyed the twists and turns of the story. I thought one thing was going to happen going along and was totally wrong. So many surprises I loved it. I could go on with my comments and wax lyrical but that may spoil the story for someone else. Please read this book, you will love it. I hope Book 4 is in the pipeline

With Cyrus Haven, forensic psychologist, at the hearing to discover whether his brother Elias, was well enough to enter society again, Cyrus was of two minds. Elias had been in the facility for twenty years, and as long as he continued to take his medication, he'd be alright. But would he?

Meanwhile a woman had vanished and her father had been bludgeoned to death. Cyrus needed to work out whether Maya was in danger or whether she'd run away. Cyrus' lodger, Evie Cormac, a troubled but bright young woman, was working at a bar when another woman went missing, and when it was discovered she had links to Maya, the race was on. Cyrus was working through the women's lives, trying to find a connection, but the secrets were buried deeply. Would they find the women alive? Would they find the perpetrator? And what would happen when Elias returned to Cyrus' home?

Lying Beside You is the 3rd in the Cyrus Haven series by Aussie author Michael Robotham and it was excellent! This author never disappoints and I'm hoping this series continues for a long time to come. Plenty of twists, gritty tension and breathtaking moments, Lying Beside You is one I highly recommend.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. I wish now that I had read the previous ones. Cyrus and Evie are both improbable character but very likeable. Cyrus's parents and twin sisters were killed by his brother, Elias. In his role as a forensic psychologist, he is called in to assess a murder of a young woman. Another woman disappears and Evie becomes involved. Unusually for me I read it in 2 sittings as I couldn't wait to find out what happens. Brilliant.
This is an honest review of a complementary ARC.

LYING BESIDE YOU

Although #LyingBesideYou is book #3 in the Cyrus Haven series I read it as a stand alone, as I had never heard author or of this series so thank #netgalley the author Micheal Robotham and the publisher for the advanced E-arc copy.

What I loved about this novel was Robthams exceptional writing, he honestly grabbed my interest from the start where I instantly felt invested.

And where this was my first time reading about these characters I did not feel as though I was missing a backstory.

I found this story exciting and very intriguing. Not only are we following a serious investigation, we are also following the life of Cyrus; a criminal psychologist (the main character) and the turmoil of his life.

This book was so fast paced, especially towards end I found that I just could not put it down.

This has made I’d easy for me to award it the full five stars and I will certainly be looking out for more by this author.

Ive read this author before but havent read this series at all and boy was I missing out.

Cyrus is a man with a troubled past. When he was 9 years old he witnessed his older brother kill his parents and twin sisters after hearing voices in his head. He is now a forensic psychologist and is summoned to a house where a father is found dead and the adult daughter missing.

His brother is also being considered for day release after being in a secure hospital for the last 2 decades receiving treatment for his schizophrenia and Cyrus must decide if he can forgive him and once again have him live with him.

That just scrapes the surface of this multi-layered story which is a fascinating and riveting read. Theres a lot to get through in this one but I never felt overwhelmed by storyline or characters, despite both being plentiful.

I absolutely loved this one. The book reads much shorter than it is(always a good sign)and will have you on edge throughout. It can be read as a standalone as I did but I will definitely be seeking out the previous 2 in the series.

A big 5 stars from me.

Thanks to the publisher for the ARC through Netgalley.

This is my first foray into reading Michael Robotham's Cyrus Haven books. I received this book as a review copy from NetGalley not realising it was the third in a series. There were a couple of times when I did wish that I'd read the earlier books first as there seemed to be a complicated back story to the two main protagonists, Cyrus and Evie, and there were various allusions made to Evie's time before she meets Cyrus which I would have liked to no more about. Having said that I didn't feel that this actually impacted upon my understanding of the story. I wasn't sure initially why we were introduced to Cyrus' brother (at the time in Rampton secure hospital for having killed the rest of his family) but as the story progressed it became clearer how the different individuals fitted together and would be key to the final conclusion. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book - part police procedural (because Cyrus is employed by the police) and part thriller/murder mystery/who dunnit. On the basis of having read this book I will now be looking out further Cyrus Haven books.

I usually start a review on a series book with the recommendation to start from book and and read in order. Sometimes this is just to get the best from the series and its characters, other times it is a bit more than that. This is one of those times. Cyrus and Evie are a bit complex and, although there is enough catch-up to be informed of their back stories, in my opinion, it's not quite enough to really get to grips with them. Oh, and anyway, the two preceding books are great so, why wouldn't you?!
So... a man is murdered and his daughter, Maya, is missing. Enter Cyrus Haven to assist the police. He's a forensic psychologist and has assisted them before, with good results. Getting him in at the start gives him the best chance of finding Maya. Meanwhile, his private life is about to get a whole lot more complicated as his brother is up for release...?
Evie is determined not to let Cyrus down... again... but she is wilful and very intelligent and does not suffer fools. She also knows when someone is lying - a blessing and a curse! She starts a new job in a bar and is there when the police start to ask about Maya. Then another young woman, one she helped out, also goes missing, drawing her into the investigation as a witness.
And so begins a cracking story that had me on the edge of my seat pretty much all the way through as it twisted and turned, delivering shock after surprise. With a healthy side order of action as it races to a very satisfying ending.
I have to say that I love Cyrus as a character. Especially his relationships with Evie and brother Elias. I also have a soft spot for Evie. She is where Cyrus was before he got himself straight and I guess that's what bonds them. They both have tragic pasts which they are both trying to get over and move away from. But also respecting where they came from. Throwing Elias into the mix in this book definitely had an effect on all three characters and mixed the dynamic up a tad, making me wonder what is next for our, now, trio!
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Lying Beside You is book 3 in the Cyrus Haven series. It could possibly be read as a standalone, but I always recommend reading series from the start to get the full back story and feel for the characters, plus this is a great series!

In this instalment, Cyrus older brother Elias has been cleared for a staggered return back into the community after a 20 year stay at a psychiatric hospital. Understandably after the events that ended up within him being held there, Cyrus is nervous, but agrees to host Elias at his home during these release stages.

Evie is also back living with Cyrus and when he offers a room and handyman job to an ex-con, her natural gift tells her that he is innocent of the crime he was imprisoned for. And with Evie being Evie, she can't leave it there and makes it her mission to find out what really happened.

Cyrus is called in to assist the police when a man is found murdered in his home and his daughter is nowhere to be found. With his old friend Lenny leading the investigation they are up against it with this complex case.

This was an excellent addition to this gripping series. The ongoing unconventional relationship between Cyrus and Evie is brilliantly written and weaving in the other characters, namely Elias, Mitch and Lenny only heighten the depth of the story.

Such a captivating page-turner of a book, I kept having to find quiet minutes to go and sneak another chapter or two in!
Lying Beside You is the third outing for Cyrus Haven, a forensic psychologist whose brother Elias killed the rest of their family due to his schizophrenia. and has been in hospital for the intervening decades. Cyrus shares a house with Evie Cormac, a 21 year old refugee who has seen some terrible things and is hoping for a quiet life. She is a really interesting character with plenty of her own flaws, and the relationship between Cyrus and her is an unusual one built on tenderness and sensitivity.

The book begins with Elias being released to stay with Cyrus and Evie to start moving towards his eventual freedom. At the same time, Cyrus is called to work to help investigate a missing neonatal nurse who has not come home after a date; her elderly father has been found murdered in his home. The case is investigated and develops; Cyrus finds himself arguing against the police chief, who is very sure he knows what has happened whilst Cyrus is convinced that there is another motive. The missing woman is found dead, and her case shadows another from previous years. Then a second woman goes missing who is also a neo-natal nurse, and Cyrus and Evie start to spot connections that the police seem to have missed.

A complete head twisting page turner of a book, I really enjoyed reading it and will certainly go back for the first two instalments of Cyrus's story.